Charles County Public Schools is changing the way it handles checks written to schools by parents, students or other individuals for any payments due to the school system. The change only involves returned checks, and does not affect payments made on My Payments Plus, the secure, Internet-based system parents can use to deposit money electronically for their child's school obligations such as lunch accounts, book fees, senior dues and parking fees.
Beginning June 1, the school system is sending all returned checks to a check recovery agency. The school system will no longer handle checks written to the individual schools that do not clear the bank. Returned checks will be sent directly to Envision Payment Solutions, the agency secured by the school system. There is no cost to the school system for this service, and the agency will work to collect the face amount of the check and up to a $35 fee, which is allowed by Maryland law.
In presenting a check for payment, the issuer authorizes service charges and processing fees associated with returned checks to be debited from the same account if the check is dishonored. Returned checks may also be resubmitted electronically or by paper draft using the account information already supplied with the dishonored payment.
Already this school year, 309 checks valued at $18,200 have been returned for non-payment. Last school year, 528 checks valued at $33,600 were returned; and during the 2010-11 school year, 473 checks valued at $26,150 were returned.
For more information, call the Charles County Public Schools accounting department at 301-934-7354 or contact your child's school. Questions about returned checks written to Charles County Public Schools can also be directed to Envision Payment Solutions at 1-877-290-5460 or customerservice@envisionpayments.com.
Charles County Public Schools provides 26,700 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 caring community schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
